sanctus ༄ k. kozume

xxi

Noriko didn't know to feel in all honesty. She didn't leave her bed, covering her ears. He totally doesn't love me. Oh God-what have I done? I fucked up...he doesn't love me at all. He's going to break up with me—

There was a knocking on her door. "Hey, Kenma's here." Nori's mother said.

"...okay."

Noriko's mother walked away with a sigh, worried for her daughter and her emotions. Kenma found his way to Noriko's room and he knocked on the door. "Noriko.."

She registered the soft spoken voice as Kenma's. "Not now..." she replied with a muffled sob.

"Hey, are you okay...?"

"...yes."

"You don't..well, sound like it..." he said. "You didn't even pick up the phone or show up to school today...Nori-"

"I'm fine!"

"I'm going to come in, okay?"

"...no."

Kenma pushed the door open gently, seeing Noriko bundled up in one corner of her bed, crying. "Oh Nori-" Why is he here? Why?

"...I told you not to come in..." Why did you come over? He sat down on the edge of the bed, unsure of what to say. "If you're here to break up just do it quickly."

"..what?" Kenma asked in surprised. "Why would I do that?" He's lying isn't he?

"That's what-" she began, shaking her head. Kenma laid down next to her, trying to comfort his distressed girlfriend. He wrapped his arms around her waist, hoping that might work. "Yesterday...while I was in the bathroom-some girls attacked me."

"Oh my God. Noriko, why didn't you—"

"...they found out about us."

"How?"

"I don't know." Noriko said quietly. "But I..."

"Noriko, please let me see your face." He said, sitting up.

"...no."

"Nori, please—I'm not mad at you."

"You're going to leave me aren't you?"

"NO!" Kenma said raising his voice. He saw Nori flinched and immediately cringed. "I mean...I'm not going to...I...I don't think I could."

"..."

"You...you helped me." Kenma said, fiddling with the sleeves of his jacket. "I...I really look up to you, Noriko. You're always so cheery and confident...you amaze me. You're not afraid to stand up with what you believe in." He let out a shaky sigh, not used to speaking so many words in such a short amount of time. Kenma bit his tongue, watching Noriko slightly shift over. "I'm so quiet and insecure and you're just way better than me and I-"

"You...do you mean it?"

"I'm kind of embarrassed to say it."

Noriko laughed bitterly. "I'm insecure too, you know?"

"I know."

"...are you staying?"

"With you or in this room?"

"Both."

Kenma didn't know how to respond. "...yeah." Noriko turned around and he didn't expect to see her like this. Her face had bandages everywhere and her eyes were red from crying. She sat up, curling the blanket around her. "Oh God...what did they do?"

"..."

"Nori, why didn't you-"

"I'm scared." She said quietly, burying her face into the blankets. Kenma was surprised. Noriko was never the type to be afraid of a fight and here she was, afraid, weak, and vulnerable. He rarely saw this side of her and he never knew how to react. Kenma scooted over, moving her hair out her face.

"Hey...it's...okay." Kenma said quietly. "Um...we can say something about it to the principal tomorrow, okay?"

"...okay."

"Noriko?"

"Yeah?"

"Remember that I love you...okay?"

"...okay."

Noriko slowly left the blanket burrito to wrap her arms around Kenma. Her touch was soothing and calming and he wasn't uncomfortable when she wrapped her arms around him. Kenma moved his arms around her slowly, wondering if she'd be okay with it. Noriko buried her face into the crook of Kenma's neck, taking in his apple pie scent. "I love you too..." she said, "...please don't...leave me."

"I won't." Kenma said, patting her back. "I promise."

"...I trust you."

"I do too." He said, rocking back and forth.

The two sat there in silence for a while before Kenma realized that Noriko had passed out. He laid her back down on the bed, sitting at the edge of the bed. Kenma said he wouldn't leave and the girl would probably freak out if he wasn't there when she woke up. He was glad he brought his Nintendo DS over. Kenma realized that he'd be here for quite a while.